Crookhaven: The School for Thieves

About this book

When talented pickpocket Gabriel Avery is invited to join a secret school, he sees a chance to do better for himself and his grandma. They’ve never had much and have often gone hungry. At Crookhaven, they teach the pupils to do wrong, in order to put the world right. Gabriel is plunged into an exciting new world of classes in Forgery, Deception and Crimnastics, and a rivalry between ‘Legacies’, whose families also went to the school, and ‘Merits’, who are there due to their own skills. Plus, there’s the Crooked Cup competition to enter – a heist from the headteacher’s own study. Can Gabriel and his new mates work out a way to outsmart even the cleverest criminals?   

The first in a brilliant series, this has action, family secrets and a moral centre to it. Gabriel’s various friends benefit from his willingness to be a good friend, and to work as a team. And the real baddies, the Nameless, are definitely to be feared and shunned. Fans of mysteries, school stories and thrillers should enjoy this hugely.